Waterjet Cutting Technology

KMT Waterjet is the most recognized waterjet pump in the World. Companies in a variety of industries have been using KMT Waterjet cutting products with great effectiveness for more than 40 years. Thanks to its flexibility and reliability, No Heat Affected Zone, no secondary finishing, waterjet technology is suitable for both large nesting productions as well as small series and complex specialized applications. Every day, innovative companies are discovering new applications for waterjet cutting, extending their production capacities and increasing their efficiency and profits.

The commercial success, growth and survival of many companies and job processors who cut, form and machine materials are based on the use of waterjet machine cutting in their processes.

There are four critical factors that set waterjet cutting apart from other methods:• Versatility/flexibility• High precision cutting without waste & eliminates most second operation finishing• Ability to cut nearly all types of materials & thicknesses - from thin foils to workpieces of 12"/305 mm thickness• Option to combine waterjet cutting with other processing methods such as laser and plasma cutting or punching

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HIGH PRESSURE PUMP TECHNOLOGY

The waterjet pump has been called the heart of the water jet system, pressurizing the water to thousands of pounds per square inch and then pushing it through to the cutting head, where it will be emitted at high velocities through a tiny orifice. With such an important role to fill, the pump must be able to meet high usage demands and precision requirements.

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<< Cutting Head

There are two variations of pumps to pressurize the water for cutting - Direct drive & Intensifier.

Direct drive pumps offer large volumes of high pressure water. Their pressure ranges, however, are limited to 50,000-60,000 PSI/3,447-4,137 bar, so direct drives pumps are best utilized in applications where cutting power without precise accuracy is required.

Intensifier pumps operate with an electric motor driving a hydraulic pump that pressurizes the fluid circuit of the intensifier. The pressure is then increased twenty-fold and transferred to the high pressure water system to deliver consistent pressure up to 90,000 PSI/6,200 bar. (See color illustration above). Intensifier pumps are used where consistent, precision cutting is demanded, such as in the aerospace, automotive and medical device industries and for intricate tile & stone inlay.

CUTTING HEAD TECHNOLOGY - Pure Water & Abrasive

Pure Water Cutting Heads

Water is fed through specially designed pressure-proof flexible pipelines to the cutting head. The cutting head consists of a pneumatically operated valve and a nozzle tube with a precious stone orifice (normally made in sapphire or diamond) at its outlet. The cutting jet exits the orifice at up to three times the speed of sound.

Abrasive Cutting Heads

A special abrasive head is mounted on the water nozzle. In this head, the abrasive is mixed with the pressurized water. The movement of the cutting head is normally CNC controlled through the waterjet cutting unit. Early detection leakage points protect the orifice body, nozzle pipe and nozzle nut against damage, as they indicate if connections must be retightened or seals replaced. Thanks to the unique design of the cutting head, seals can be replaced in less than five minutes and without tools. The precision performance combined with easy maintenance of KMT Waterjet abrasive cutting heads offer unrivaled value. Thanks to the simple design, orifices can be changed in seconds without the need for any tools!

Waterjet cutting with pure water or abrasive

With waterjet cutting, soft materials are normally cut with pure water, while harder materials are processed with a mixture of water and abrasive.

Waterjet cutting with pure water

This method is primarily used for soft materials such as plastics, textiles, paper, sealing materials, metal foils, plywood, food, etc. Normal tap water is pressurised and forced through a small precious stone orifice, so that a highly powerful cutting jet is produced. This jet exits the orifice at a speed of up to three times that of sound and can be used to cut materials at high cutting speeds (determined by the properties of the material).

SAMPLES OF PURE WATER CUT PARTS

Abrasive cuttingAbrasive cutting methods are used for hard materials such as metal, glass, minerals, concrete, glass composites, ceramics, aluminium or silicone oxide. In other words, abrasive is added where pure water is unable to cut the material properly. In the abrasive cutting process, abrasive (consisting of fine particles) is added to the waterjet. In the cutting head, water, air and abrasive are mixed together and forced through the focussing tube at high speed. The resulting high-energy jet is capable of micro-eroding, i.e. drilling and cutting, materials of great thicknesses and of the most diverse consistencies, such as metals, ceramics, rock and even bullet-proof glass.